National Liberal Party faces internal split over leadership

European Parliament member Rareș Bogdan has claimed that the National Liberal Party (PNL) is split into two distinct factions, signaling a significant internal leadership struggle. Bogdan alleges that an opposition group has reached a critical mass necessary to remove Ilie Bolojan from his leadership position.

According to Bogdan, the dissenting faction includes 25 parliamentarians, three MEPs, and approximately 350 mayors who no longer support Bolojan's policies. He characterized the split as a doctrinal divide, describing his own camp as adhering to classical liberal-conservative values, while accusing Bolojan of representing “neo-progressive, neo-Marxist, woke” ideologies that depart from the party's traditional roots.

Bogdan noted that while the opposition group has significant support across local and central structures, the primary obstacle to formalizing Bolojan's removal is the current leadership's ability to use government functions and investment budgets as leverage over local elected officials. He suggested that a secret vote might reveal that the opposition holds the required majority to effect a change in leadership.